Album Review

Thinking For Tuesday – Holding For A Reason

• 25th Aug 2009

In theory this probably shouldn’t work. Thinking For Tuesday have taken one singer with a background in musical theatre, added one talented rock band with an unfortunate urge to stray into pop-punk territory, and thrown them at each other. In fact the end result, while not to everyone’s tastes, isn’t all that bad.

True, Karen Conway’s voice isn’t quite consistent enough to sustain the album throughout, but she gives it a decent shot. Indeed when she is on form, she adds an element of power which few bands can muster.

You see, while this album begins as pop-punk, the elements begin to come together as it progresses to the point that you can almost hear Thinking For Tuesday growing in confidence with each passing track.

The main highlights are the epic ‘Isolation’ and the slower number ‘No More’. However, it is arguably the versatility of the band which acts as their greatest asset, with a capability to consistently change pace and atmosphere throughout the album helping to separate Thinking For Tuesday from the masses of average bands around.

Apparently, fans of the band were urged to vote on which 12 tracks made the final cut for ‘Holding For A Reason’, and it might be their judgement rather than that of the band itself which is responsible for the inconsistency.

It certainly seems as though the weaker tracks might go down a storm at Thinking For Tuesday’s live shows, but one or two of them – such as the disappointing ‘Ordinary Song’ – feel out of place when juxtaposed with the more mature offerings which surround them.

At the moment, Thinking For Tuesday find themselves at a crossroads, with the macabre energy of The Bookhouse Boys on one side and the MOR mediocrity of post-Hatherley Ash on the other. Hopefully they will choose the right path.